Propelling and steering structure for aeroplanes, balloons, kites, &amp;c.



1 M. K. KASMAR. mm STRUCTURE FOB. AEROPLANES ,BALLOONS, KITES, &c.

PROPELLING AND STEE APPLICATION FILED @QAR. B, 1909. I I 1,969,88Q Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

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M. K. KASMAR. PBOPELLING AND STEERING STRUCTURE FOR AEROPLANBS, BALLOONS, KITES, 6w.

APPFIGATION FILED MAR. 8. 1909. 1,069,889 Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

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M. K. KASMAR. PROPELLING AND STEERING STRUCTURE FOR AEROPLANES, BALLOONS, KITES, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED HA R. 8. 1909.

Patel ted Aug. 12, 1913.

- ocaseo.

MAX K. KASMAR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROPELLING AND STEERING STRUCTURE FOR AEROPLA NES, BALLOONS, KITES, &O.

To all whom it may concern:

ie it known that I, MAX K. KASMAR, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pro elling and Steering Structure; for Aerop anes, Balloons, Kites, &c., of which the following is upward and downward inclined planes with reference to the earths surface.

a full, clear, and exact specification.

The object of my invention, broadly stated, is to impart to the vanes of a propelling and steering structure a movement and movements by which the vanes exert a positive vertical downward pressure upon the atmosphere with-reference to the earth gs surface and also an oblique pressure relative to the same surface whereby aeroplanes,

balloons, etc, are bodily lifted and may be directed, propelled and steered in varying A. further object is to provide means by which saidvanes may be conveniently shifted from a horizontal'position to various inclined positions and relative to the direction of the force which they exert upon the atmosphere and may be maintained in any of these positions at will, whereby the direction of movement-of aeroplanes and'balloons may be maintained and varied at will.

' l/Vith these ends in view, my invention consists in certain features of novelty in' the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings: Figure 1 indicates a side elevation partly in section on the line 1-1 Fig. 4 of a propelling and steering structure containing my invention with the vanes adjusted to exert substantially a pressure upon the atmosphere in a vertical. direction with reference to the earth's surface.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofone of the I ranged radial arms 17 (see Fig. 4) and has one end projecting outside thereof. on which vanes detached. Fig. 3 an enlarged detail longitudinal view of the power shaft of the vanes on the line 3-3'Fig. 5 showin in transverse section the means employe by which the vanes are bodily rotated by the power shaft and shifted upon their individual axes. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of i the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 an enlarged top plan view partly in section showing the devices employed for shifting the Specification of Letters rates-z. Application filed March 8, 19%. Serial No. 481,987.

vanes upon their individual axes. Fig. 6 is Patented na ia'ieia.

a detailed end elevation of a propelling and I steering structure containing a modified form of my invention. Fig. 7. aaperspective of one of the vanes detached showing valves for reducing the resistance of the vanes to the air in their ascending movement by their common axes. Fig. 8 is a detailed front elevation of a modified form of the vanes and the means by which they are secured to their common axes of revolution. Fig. 9. a de tailed view of a modified form of the mechanism employed for shifting the vanes upon their individual axes to vary their inclma tion. Fig. 10 a detailed sectional view showing a modified form of a means by which the vanes may be connected with the eccentric or other means for shifting them on their individual axes, and Fi 11 is a longitudinal section of a modifie form of one of the vanes.

Similar numerals of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

12 indicates one of two inverted ll-shaped lip-rights secured by bolts 13. to any suitable part of the framework (not shown) of an aeroplane, balloon, etc., in which lip-rights is journaled a power shaft 14, rigidly secured to which by a key 15 is ahub 16 from which project a number of radial arms 17, four in number as shown in Fig. l, but which may be of any desired number greater or less, the power shaft (see Fig. 4) being provided with a pulley 18 connected by a belt (not shown to ,any suitable motor or is secured (see Figs. 1 and 4;) a lug 24 provided toward its free end with a perforation 25 in which is loosely secured the upper end of, a rod 26, the lower end of which (see F 3) terminates in a cross-bar 27 projecting beyond both the inner and outer sides of the rod andwhich has its ends projecting respectively into an eccentric groove 28 in a plate 29 and into radial grooves 30 in a short arm 31 secured to a hub 32 (see Fig. 3) which together with the long radial arm 17 is secured to the shaft 14 by a key The eccentric 29 is sleeved upon the shaft 14 and has secured to its outer face a sprocket wheel 34: adapted to be actuated by a drive chain (not shown) connected with some suitable power, as for instance a steering lever, so that by shifting the eccentric on its axis, the vanes through their rod connection therewith may be adjusted to any desired inclination or maintained in a horizontal position throughout their rotation by the power shaft for purposes hereinafter more fully described, the short arm 31 serving tomaintain the inner end of the connecting rod 26 of the vane from vibration and therefore fixed for the time being in its adjusted position in the eccentric groove, the grooves inthe short arm 31 being on lines radiating from the axis of the power shaft 14 around which they revolve.

The drawings illustrate the employment of four vanes mounted upon as many radial arms secured to the power shaft, but there may be a greater or less number-of vanes as desired or required, and the vanes 20 which may be of light thin sheet metal or any other material adapted for the purpose are, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4:, ll-shaped in cross section and preferably with a greater spread to the V at their outer end 35 than at their inner end 36, so that in side elevation as will be seen in Fig. 1 their apices incline downwardly with reference to their bottom edges from their inner toward their forward ends, whereby the vanes deflect the pressure of the air current coming in contact with their under and operative face, and thereby change the angle of force exerted by the atmosphere directed against the underside of the vanes. For example in the position shown in Fig. l in which their lower edges lie in a horizontal plane parallel to the earths surface, air pressure upwardly againstthe under side of the vanes will be deflected along a line inclining upwardly from the shallower toward the deeper end of the vanes, but if the position of the vanes is shifted so that its apex lies in a horizontal plane, then the pressure will be in a vertical line at a right- .angle through the apex along its entire length. The V-shaped form of the vanes serves to increase their resistance to the air on their down stroke, and to decrease their resistance on the up stroke, it being understood that whether they are adjusted, as shown in Fig. 1, or at any other angle they will maintain that position throughout their rotation by their power shaft as will now be explained.

In operation when the power shaft 14 is revolved in the direction indicated by the noeaeeo arrow in Fig. 1 there will be produced a rotation of the arm 17 and of the vanes car ried by the arm, but owing to the pivot con nection between the vanes, the eccentric, although adjustably fixed with reference to the power, will oscillate the vanes upon their individual axis in such a manner that they will maintain the same bodily position uniformly throughout their rotation about the power shaft 1 1. For example, if a vane starts from the lowest position in Fig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow, it will as it is carried upward by the radial arm, have the inner end of its eccentric connecing rod gradually shifted inwardly toward the axis of its rotation, so that the ascending vane will be gradually shifted from a position at right-angles to the arm until by the time the arm has reached a point between its two extremes of movement, the vane will have assumed a position parallel therewith, that is to say, on a line lengthwise through the arm and parallel to the side edge of the vane, but as the arm gradually rises to the limit of the upward movement of the vane, then the vane will continue its shifting movement until when at the end of its upward stroke it again lies at a right angle to its supporting arm 17 for in that position the end of the rod has been moved inwardly to its nearest possible approach to the power shaft 141.. As the supporting arm and the vane move downwardly from the limit of their upward stroke, the inner end of the rod 26 is as gradually moved away from the shaft 141, but, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the position of the vane'relative to the earths surface is maintained precisely the same as that which it had when it began to move upwardly from its lowest position. In other words, all of the vanes have a planetary movement, that is to say, a continuous revolution about the axis of the power shaft and a revolution in they Assuming the apices of the vanes to have the inclination indicated in Fig. 1, there will be an upward deflection of the air pres' sure throughout the downstroke of the vanes, the effect of which will be to prevent theair vessel from rising in a vertical line and deflect it upwardly at an oblique angle thereto and thereby impart to it a simultaneous rising andforward movement in an v upward inclined direction, Iffhowever, by

m s s the shifting of the eccentric the apices are maintained on a horizontal line, then the direction of the air pressure e'xertedby the vanes on their downward movement throughout their length will be on a line vertical to the earth and lift the aeroplane along that line, except so far as it may be deflected by the natural direction of the air currents themselves. 1 d

On the other hand, if the vanes are adjusted so as to be maintained in a tilted position opposite that which they are indicated to have in Fig. 1, then following the same law the air vessel will be directed on a descending line but with a resistance tending to retard a too rapid descent of the vessel.

At this point it is important to observe that with the connection of the eccentric with a steering lever or wheel within convenient reach of the occupant of the air vessel to which my invention is attached, he may shift theangle of the vanes from time to time so as not only to vary the height of the aerial vessel but to deflect it upon varying lines of inclination.

From the foregoing it will nowbe apparent that my invention embraces a structure, the operation of which is three-fold, namely that of propelling, that of steering and that of retarding and increasing the movement of such a vessel.

In Figs. 7 and 11 is illustrated a modified form of the vanes 20 in that such vanes are provided with a number of openings in which are valve doors 37 which may be in any number, and which are forced open by air pressure during the ascent of the vanes and closed immediately they commence their descent, said door-like valves being hinged at 38 and, (in Fig. 11) limited in their downwar'd movement by a wire fabric 39 or a number of cross wires forming a grating-like structure. T r

In Fig. 8 is illustrated a modified form of the vanes, as indicated at a0, in which is a vane diamond-like in form as preferred or required, the shaft of said vanes being provided in bifurcated arms 41, which may be cast with or otherwise secured through a hub 42 on the power shaft 14, the vane 40 being actuated through the lug 24: and connecting rod 26 in the samc manner as shown in Fig. 1; i r

As illustrated in Fig. 6, the connecting rods, their eccentric and short radial arms may be dispensed with without a departure from my lnvention as for example, there may be on the individual shafts 19 of the vanes a sprocket wheel actuated so as to change the pitch or inclination of the vanes by means of endless chains d3 connecting sprockets on a line passing through the axis of the p *er shaft by means of sprockets a l, sleeve en the power shaft, that is to 'sa yin the structure shown three of said sists in having on the individual shafts 19.

of the vanes a bevel gear 45 and a pinion 46 meshing therewith mounted upon a shaft 47 journaled in suitable bearings 48 and 49,

secured to the radial arms and provided at" its 'r-iner end with a beveled pinion 5Q mesh in with a beveled gear 51 sleeved on the drive shaft 14 and actuated by a 'sp rocket connected with the steering apparatus in the same manner that the sprocket wheel 44' is actuated and for the same purpose.

In Fig. 10 is illustrated a modification of a the means shown in Fig. 3 for confining the inner ends of and. actuating the rod 26, that is to say, the radial groove short arms 31 may be dispensed with and the cross bar of the rods'confined between two plates 52 and 53 secured together. by bolt or screw 5% each of which is provided with registering eccentric grooves and are sleeved on the power shaft- 14.

In operation the movement and adjustability of direction of force of the vanes and the effect of their propelling and adjusting mechanism is precisely the same in the structure shown in Figs. 6, 7, 9 and 11 as in the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, and in this connection it should be observed that notwithstanding their complete and. continuous revolution about the power shaft,

force of the vanes during theiroperation and their adjustment is substantially the same in eifect and result as that produced by a flying bird for it rises by exerting a direct vertical pressure as nearly as may be with reference to the earth upon the atmosphere, and it shifts the inclination or its wings to difierent inclinations as; it desires lie to rise or descend or propel itself in a horizontal plane "in substantially the same mars ner that accrues to the maintaining of the vanes in fixed planes while traversing around a fixed axis and shifting their angles with reference to the carths surface as hercinbefore described. in other-words, the manipulation of the joints of the wings oft. bird as employed to propel direct and resist air currents is substantially the same as that produced by the lanetary movement and adjustability to di ering planes of the'vanes of an apparatus containm my invention. a

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat cut is 1. A propelling and out.

apparatus.

combination a number of elongated vanes and substant'ally V-shaped in cross section, means imparting a planetary movement to said vanes and means continuously maintaining the apices of said vanes as the upper surface thereof, substantially as described.

2. A propelling and steering apparatus for the purpose described comprising in combination a number of elongated vanes substantially V-shaped in cross section, and having their apices inclined relative to their edges, and means supporting and actuating said vanes, substantially as described.

3. A propelling and steering apparatus for the purpose described comprising in combination a number of elongated vanes substantially f-shaped in cross section, means imparting a planetary movement to said vanes, and means continuously maintaining the apices of said vanes as the upper surface thereof, substantially as described.

4. A propelling and steering apparatus for the purpose described,.eomprising in combination number of vanes V-shaped in cross section and provided With a number of valves opening downwardly, and means for imparting a planetary movement to said vanes whereby their concave inner faces eX- ert a downward pressure upon the atmosphere and said vanes are substantially relieved from resistance to the air in their rising movement, substantially as described.

roeaeeo ing the bodily angle of said vanes whereby the angle of ascent and descent of an aero plane or balloon is determined and regulated, substantially as described.

6. A propelling and steering apparatus for the purpose described, comprising in combination a power shaft, radial arms projecting therefrom, vanes pivoted to the outer end of said arms, a combined sprocket and eccentric sleeve upon the power shaft, means for actuating said sprocket, and means connecting said sprocket with the vanes, Whereby the shifting of the sprocket upon lts axis simultaneously changes the angle of the face of the vanes relative to lines drawn through their axes, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 22d day of January A. D. 1909' MAX K. KASMAR. [Ls] Witnesses:

FLORENCE KASMAR, JNO. G. ELLIO'IT. 

